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[Towards a pain treatment based on the identification of the physiopathological mechanisms]
1Laboratoire de Physiologie Oro-Faciale, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, 11, bd Charles-de-Gaulle, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand (France). radhouane.dallel@u-clermont.fr
Abstract:
The selection of a pain treatment should be based on the identification of the mechanisms of its origin. Nowadays, many patients with chronic pain continue to suffer severe pain. Failure to obtain a satisfactory response is often ascribed to individual peculiarities in drug metabolism, tolerance, resistance to common analgesics or to psychological factors. However, difficulties in elucidating pain-generating mechanisms may be the main source of insufficient pain management. These difficulties can be explained by several factors including: the unsuitability of the usual classification of pain, the use of etiology and symptom criteria as the main dimension of pain to guide the choice of therapeutic agent, the inadequate interpretation of sensory deficit, the lack of identification of the injured tissues and the lack of use of psychophysical methods to assess pain. This article reviews some fundamental knowledge to determine pain treatment based on the identification of the physiopathological mechanisms of pain.
Insights
Effective pain management requires understanding the root cause of pain. This review highlights how identifying the physiopathological mechanisms of pain is crucial for selecting appropriate treatments and improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pain Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Chronic pain affects many patients, leading to significant suffering.
- Current treatments often fail due to a lack of understanding of underlying pain mechanisms.
- Individual factors like drug metabolism and psychological elements are often overemphasized.
Purpose:
- To review fundamental knowledge for pain treatment selection.
- To emphasize the importance of identifying pain's physiopathological mechanisms.
- To guide clinicians in choosing effective therapeutic agents.
Summary:
- Pain treatment selection should be mechanism-based, not solely reliant on symptoms or etiology.
- Difficulties in pain management stem from inadequate pain classification and assessment methods.
- This article advocates for a deeper understanding of pain's physiological basis to guide therapy.
Impact:
- Improved pain management strategies through mechanism-based treatment selection.
- Enhanced patient outcomes in chronic pain conditions.
- Advancement of pain research by focusing on underlying physiopathology.